I'm not sure if this is the right place for this, but didn't know where else to post. But the letter does mention that they'll come after me with attorneys so I guess it sort of fits here. Also, I apologize in advance for how long the post is.
I graduated with an undergrad degree in the Spring of 2018 (international student with F-1 visa in the US). I was then accepted into two universities - one in NY and the other the same university I did my undergrad at. Decided to attend the one in NY and had my international coordinator in my undergrad uni transfer my SEVIS to the uni in NY. Travelled to NY, visited the campus, talked to the advisor, and paid the deposit. However, after careful consideration, I decided that my old uni is the best place for me in terms of finances. So I contacted my intl. coordinator at the old uni and had her transfer my SEVIS back to the uni.
Currently in my second semester of grad school here. Everything was going good until yesterday when I received a 'Past Due Statement' from the uni in NY in the mail. It is important to note that this was the first form of contact they have made with me since the summer of 2018 (unless they mailed me a bunch in their student portal). But like I said, no phone calls, no physical mail, or an email in the alternate email address I had provided them with. So after talking to my intl. advisor, who said that it could have been due to a lack of communication between departments, I called the NY uni's OSA office. The staff who answered told me that I hadn't notified the uni that I wouldn't be attending. In response, I told them that my SEVIS was officially transferred back to my old uni, and that I have been studying here for almost a year with the same SEVIS, got my visa extended with the very same SEVIS, and that this is the first form of contact the uni had made with me. The staff didn't know what SEVIS was so they put me on a long hold, which I assume was so that they could ask the dept. that deals with the stuff. The staff then asked if the coordinator here who initiated the SEVIS transfer had notified them that I wouldn't be attending the uni. I told them that I don't know if the coordinator did so or not but that I did know that my SEVIS record indicates that I am officially the student of this university and that I have never attended a class, orientation/seminar, or even used any of the services offered by the uni in NY.
The staff expressed some annoyance and then asked me to email their 'Claims' department about the issue. The staff also mentioned that to make my argument stronger, I should attach any proof that shows that either me or my intl. coordinator let the uni know that I wouldn't be attending. However, I do not have any sort of proof for that. I will be emailing them tonight and will make the same arguments that I made over the phone. Is there anything else that I should mention in the email, or something I should omit? Should I ask them if there is some form of petition that I can fill and submit?
I realize now that the issue could have been avoided altogether by a simple notification on my part. My girlfriend (also international student) and I were both accepted into two different universities in NY and both of us decided to come back to our old uni. And even though she never notified them, she hasn't received anything form her NY uni. However, I received a bill of $12k in the first form of contact that they have made with me since the summer of 2018.
Written By: taitai3
Source: http://bit.ly/2IF8TwY
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